Oremus for Sunday, December 20, 2020

For another form of worship in the home based on today’s lessons in the Revised Common Lectionary, go to https://blogs.elca.org/worship/3148/

Antiphon
Chant: https://tinyurl.com/y9a62bf3

O Clavis David, et sceptrum domus Israel;
qui aperis, et nemo claudit;
claudis, et nemo aperit:
veni, et educ vinctum de domo carceris,
sedentem in tenebris, et umbra mortis.

O Key of David and sceptre of the House of Israel; you open and no one can shut; you shut and no one can open: Come and lead the prisoners from the prison house, those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.

O Key of David and throne of glory,
you open the way to the future and no one closes;
you close the way to the past and no one opens.
Release us and all your people from the oppressions of the past,
that we may face the future with boldness and purpose—
through the merits of the Son of David, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. ^WS2

Music: https://tinyurl.com/ycn4djk5

O Lord, open my lips.
And my mouth will declare your praise.
Make haste, O God, to deliver me;
make haste to help me, O Lord.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Praise to you, O Christ, Alleluia!

HYMN: Fortunatus; trans. John Mason Neale
Tune: Puer nobis nascitur https://tinyurl.com/yyncsxhn

1 The God whom earth and sea and sky
adore and laud and magnify,
whose might they own, whose praise they tell,
in Mary’s body deigned to dwell.

2 O Mother blest, the chosen shrine
wherein the Architect divine,
whose hand contains the earth and sky,
vouchsafed in hidden guise to lie:

3 Blest in the message Gabriel brought;
blest in the work the Spirit wrought;
most blest, to bring to human birth
the long-desired of all the earth.

4 O Lord, the Virgin-born, to thee
eternal praise and glory be,
whom with the Father we adore
and Holy Ghost for evermore. Amen.

PSALMS
For psalms in contemporary language, https://tinyurl.com/y9tjh7rk

Psalm 104 (Anglican Chant: https://tinyurl.com/uaqp2t4)

1  Praise the Lord, O my soul *
 O Lord my God, thou art become exceeding glorious;
thou art clothed with majesty and honour.
2  Thou deckest thyself with light as it were with a garment *
 and spreadest out the heavens like a curtain.
3  Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters *
 and maketh the clouds his chariot,
and walketh upon the wings of the wind.
4  He maketh his angels spirits *
 and his ministers a flaming fire.
5  He laid the foundations of the earth *
 that it never should move at any time.
6  Thou coveredst it with the deep like as with a garment *
 the waters stand in the hills.
7  At thy rebuke they flee *
 at the voice of thy thunder they are afraid.
8  They go up as high as the hills, and down to the valleys beneath *
 even unto the place which thou hast appointed for them.
9  Thou hast set them their bounds which they shall not pass *
 neither turn again to cover the earth.
10  He sendeth the springs into the rivers *
 which run among the hills.
11  All beasts of the field drink thereof *
 and the wild asses quench their thirst.
12  Beside them shall the fowls of the air have their habitation *
 and sing among the branches.
13  He watereth the hills from above *
 the earth is filled with the fruit of thy works.
14  He bringeth forth grass for the cattle *
 and green herb for the service of men;
15  That he may bring food out of the earth,
and wine that maketh glad the heart of man *
 and oil to make him a cheerful countenance,
and bread to strengthen man’s heart.
16  The trees of the Lord also are full of sap *
 even the cedars of Libanus which he hath planted;
17  Wherein the birds make their nests *
 and the fir-trees are a dwelling for the stork.
18  The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats *
 and so are the stony rocks for the conies.
19  He appointed the moon for certain seasons *
 and the sun knoweth his going down.
20  Thou makest darkness that it may be night *
 wherein all the beasts of the forest do move.
21  The lions roaring after their prey *
 do seek their meat from God.
22  The sun ariseth, and they get them away together *
 and lay them down in their dens.
23  Man goeth forth to his work, and to his labour *
 until the evening.
24  O Lord, how manifold are thy works *
 in wisdom hast thou made them all; the earth is full of thy riches.
25  So is the great and wide sea also *
 wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts.
26  There go the ships, and there is that Leviathan *
 whom thou hast made to take his pastime therein.
27  These wait all upon thee *
 that thou mayest give them meat in due season.
28  When thou givest it them they gather it *
 and when thou openest thy hand they are filled with good.
29  When thou hidest thy face they are troubled *
 when thou takest away their breath they die,
and are turned again to their dust.
30  When thou lettest thy breath go forth they shall be made *
 and thou shalt renew the face of the earth.
31  The glorious Majesty of the Lord shall endure for ever *
 the Lord shall rejoice in his works.
32  The earth shall tremble at the look of him *
 if he do but touch the hills, they shall smoke.
33  I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live *
 I will praise my God while I have my being.
34  And so shall my words please him *
 my joy shall be in the Lord.
35  As for sinners, they shall be consumed out of the earth,
and the ungodly shall come to an end *
 praise thou the Lord, O my soul, praise the Lord.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son :
and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be :
world without end. Amen.

PRAYER

God of majesty,
we are constantly surrounded by your gifts
and touched by your grace;
our words of praise do not approach the wonders of your love.
Send forth your Spirit,
that our lives may be refreshed
and the whole world may be renewed,
in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. ^BCW

THE WORD OF GOD

Reading: 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16

Now when the king was settled in his house, and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies around him, the king said to the prophet Nathan, ‘See now, I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of God stays in a tent.’ Nathan said to the king, ‘Go, do all that you have in mind; for the Lord is with you.’

But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan: Go and tell my servant David: Thus says the Lord: Are you the one to build me a house to live in? I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent and a tabernacle. Wherever I have moved about among all the people of Israel, did I ever speak a word with any of the tribal leaders of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built me a house of cedar?’ Now therefore thus you shall say to my servant David: Thus says the Lord of hosts: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep to be prince over my people Israel; and I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may live in their own place, and be disturbed no more; and evildoers shall afflict them no more, as formerly, from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house. Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure for ever before me; your throne shall be established for ever.

HYMN: F. Richard Garland ©
Tune: Normandy (Basque Carol) https://tinyurl.com/yd73mwbx

1 Would you build a home in which God could reside?
Would you welcome God and invite Love inside?
Then open your heart and prepare to receive
a great affirmation of what you believe.

2 “The Lord will be with you, Fear not what will come.
The spirit will grace you that you may become
the mother of Jesus, the Savior and Lord,
the Light of the Nations, for ever adored.

3 The spirit rejoices and God’s magnified,
the common-place blessed and life’s sanctified;
the rich and the haughty, dismissed with a wave;
the poor and the hungry, God comes now to save.

4 So welcome the gospel and humbly profess
the prophet’s great wisdom, the faith you confess.
For love is embodied and born in this child
and all you who seek him will be reconciled.

Reading: Romans 16:25-27

Now to God who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but is now disclosed, and through the prophetic writings is made known to all the Gentiles, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory for ever! Amen.

HYMN: R.T. Brooks ©
Tune: St Helen https://tinyurl.com/ybjwmjvz

1 Thanks to God whose word was spoken
in the deed that made the earth.
His the voice that called a nation,
his the fires that tried her worth.
God has spoken:
praise him for his open word.

2 Thanks to God whose Word Incarnate
glorified the flesh of man;
deeds and words and death and rising
tell the grace in heaven’s plan.
God has spoken:
praise him for his open word.

3 Thanks to God whose word was written
in the Bible’s sacred page,
record of the revelation
showing God to every age.
God has spoken:
praise him for his open word.

4 Thanks to God whose word is published
in the tongues of every race.
See its glory undiminished
by the change of time or place.
God has spoken:
praise him for his open word.

5 Thanks to God whose word is answered
by the Spirit’s voice within.
Here we drink of joy unmeasured,
life redeemed from death and sin.
God is speaking:
praise him for his open word.

Reading: Luke 1:26-38

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, ‘Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you.’ But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.’ Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I am a virgin?’ The angel said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.’ Then Mary said, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.’ Then the angel departed from her.

CANTICLE: Luke 1:68-79
(Consiglio: https://tinyurl.com/ya8y3kqs)

Ant. Blest be the Lord God of Israel; *
who has come to his people and set them free.

God has raiséd up a Savior strong and proud,
born of his servant David.
And through holy prophets God has promised from of old,
to save us from all our foes, from the hands of all who hate us. Ant.

God promised to show mercy to our ancestors
to remember the covenant.
This was the oath sworn to father Abraham,
to set us free from our enemies’ hands,
free to worship God without fear, *
holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life. Ant.

You, little child, are the prophet of the Lord,
you will go before the Lord to prepare the way,
To give the people knowledge of salvation
by forgiveness of their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high breaks upon us,
to shine on us who dwell in the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet on the way of peace. Ant.

THE PRAYERS ^{Joe Milner}

For the Church: that our hearts may be an authentic dwelling place for God and thus enable us to bring God’s presence to all whom we encounter

For confidence in God’s providence: that in facing life’s obstacles, we may place our trust in God for whom nothing is impossible

For a listening heart: that our hearts may be stilled and quieted so that we may hear the Word of God as it comes to us in word, people, and experience each day

For all believers: that we, like Mary, may ponder God’s invitations and give our full yes to all that God asks of us so that God’s will may be fulfilled for all the human family

For hope in the face of fear: that God’s faithfulness will free and strengthen us from every bondage and limit that our fears evoke

For all who are pregnant: that they may know God’s presence and strength as they await the birth of their child and that these children may be healthy and strong

For all who are waiting for God to overturn oppression and injustice: that God will free and strengthen persecuted Christians, people in refugee camps, and victims of violence so that they may experience justice and dignity

For all who are isolated and alone, particularly those who are homebound or in nursing homes: that Christ may fill their emptiness and open our hearts to reach out to them

For all who are traveling: that God will protect them from harm, keep their travel proceeding smoothly, and help them to have good and safe visits with family and friends

For the Christians of the Holy Land: that they may find ways to witness to the Good News of God’s saving love and work with all their neighbors to build a peace based on justice and respect

For all who are away from home, particularly members of the military and relief workers: that God will keep them safe, help them fulfill their duties, and bring them home quickly

For all who are suffering economically: that God will protect and guide those who are facing eviction, have lost employment, or who struggle to have enough to eat

For an end to the Covid pandemic: that God will heal the sick, strengthen the caregivers, and guide the distribution and administration of the vaccines

For Peace: that the advent of the Prince of Peace may enlighten minds and hearts to resolve disputes with words and deeds of compassion, and turn human hearts from violence and domination

For all who have died: that the coming of Christ may open for them the eternal joy and peace of God’s presence forever

(Traditional chant: https://tinyurl.com/ydzx5jdp)

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
[For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.]

God of scandalous love,
Mary consented to bear the shame
and carry your Word within herself:
may her courage give hope to women and men
who yearn to sing new songs of justice
and find the world a dwelling place for God;
through Jesus Christ, the one who is to come. Amen. ^PIC

Music: https://tinyurl.com/y9efvwm5
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God,
and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with us all. Amen. 2 Cor. 13:14

---

^BCW Book of Common Worship, Presbyterian Church U.S.A., 1993.

^PIC Prayers for an Inclusive Church, Steven Shakespeare, as altered in GS2016 Trial Use Collects, Anglican Church of Canada.

The intercessions are by Joe Milner http://liturgy.slu.edu

^WS2 The Worship Sourcebook, 2nd edition, © 2013, Faith Alive Christian Resources

The three main scripture readings are from the The New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Edition, The New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The psalms are from The Book of Common Prayer (1662).

Musical links are usually either to artists’ albums posted on Spotify or to recordings made available at smallchurchmusic.com. Audio stripped from YouTube videos is footnoted accordingly above.

Compilation © 2020 Stephen T. Benner. All links worked at the time they were created, but I cannot accept responsibility for their content or any damage resulting from their use. The linked content is under the control of the respective content creators and is subject to change at any time. Any copyright texts included in this compilation are provided for non-commercial purposes related to study or worship. Please contact the respective copyright holders for permission to use the texts in other contexts.